2 Timothy 1:8
8 Be [epaischunomai] not [me] thou [epaischunomai] therefore [oun] ashamed [epaischunomai] of the testimony [marturion] of our [hemon] Lord, [kurios] nor [mede] of me [eme] his [autos] prisoner: [desmios] but [alla] be thou partaker of the afflictions [sugkakopatheo] of the gospel [euaggelion] according to [kata] the power [dunamis] of God; [theos] KJV-Interlinear
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me His prisoner; but join with me in suffering for the gospel according to the power of God, NASB
Do not be ashamed of being a Christian, because it is a faith that no one, short of believers in Christ, understands.
Back in Pauls day, Christians were persecuted horribly. And even in our current day, Christians are mocked in political circles, as being outside of the thinking of rational politicians or want-to-be leaders of society.
In some parts of the world Christians are persecuted horribly even as they were 2000 years ago. And in the future, as this and the next generations drift away from faith, then the mocking and ridicule and worse behaviors against Christians, will increase even more.
Paul calls himself a prisoner, but he is referring to the containment that doctrine has on his own life, a containment which he has gladly submitted himself to, in a similar fashion as a wife voluntarily binds herself to the husband she respects and loves dearly.
It is voluntary and without coercion, and the best possible relationship that anyone can possibly have.
The sufferings of the gospel, do not refer to the sufferings that people have in their day to day life, but refer to the differences between the spiritual life and the carnal life as described in the phrase, ‘according to the power of God.’
God defines and segregates the spiritual and the non-spiritual life patterns. And the world will align itself against all truth.
Thus when there are incompetent leaders, or a spiritual decay within society, and as a result there is an economic downturn which affects us all, through higher prices, unemployment, economic troubles, floods, and weather pattern turmoil, and many other things that occur in a spiritually dysfunctional society, then you will find yourself suffering along with everyone else.
Not to mention the mocking that will go along with being a Christian.
Evil people never accept responsibility for their own part in causing world trouble. They always look for better solutions, which only make things worse, and they look for scapegoats to blame. And who better to blame than Jews and Christians, and even other races or minorities.
When Adam and Eve were in the Garden, the world was perfect. When sin entered, then the deterioration process began. That process affects all aspects of life, from genetic defects, to reduced lifespan, to the weather, to the access that the soul has to your life through your brain.
God created the soul perfect, and were it not for the limitations of the brain, you would be a phenomenal genius. Life demonstrates the many differences that people have in intellect and ability and talents. These are not simply physical differences, but differences that the soul has in its access to the human physiology.
So as goes attitude toward Christ, so goes the blessings or lack thereof, in your life and environment.
We have already studied the Tribulation, and have seen just how bad things are going to get in that future day, and all because of a phenomenal rejection of truth.
The gospel speaks of Christ, and more than that, it speaks of truth in our overall life.
When your life goes sour, then look first at the circumstances of your life. Is it you because you are not faithful to the study of the scriptures, or is it the world, that is never faithful to truth. And assuming that you are faithful, then do not complain as the world falls apart, and you get hurt in the process.
Remember that your home and future are not here, and not of this world, but rest in heaven and beyond. Do not be embarrassed, but suck it up and persevere.
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